


Summer Heat And Impulsive Kisses

by ozsia



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: M/M, Post-Series, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-06 00:32:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6730015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozsia/pseuds/ozsia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It must have been the heat. That was the only explanation Shuuya could give for his bout of unbelievably stupidity which led to this mess. But than, fortune favours the bold...right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Heat And Impulsive Kisses

The first term of the second year of high school had been nearing its end with summer vacation well on its way; an early heat wave announcing its arrival long before the calendars did. Raimon Junior School seemed distant however real it still felt with most of the seniors of the Raimon Eleven settled into their new team and routine.

No one really knew what to make of them to start with, with their fame through winning the Football Frontier tournament and then going on to defeat Aliea Gakuen, before taking some of their number to beat the world as Japan’s representatives making them somewhat unapproachable.   

It had been sort of awkward fitting in and getting their new teammates and coach to relax around them. Kiddo was too sharp, Endou too loud and all of them just all a bit too talented not to rub their classmates up the wrong way; thinking they were encroaching on their positions. 

Not that they were wrong on any of those points. Within the first six months Endou had already been given back the title of “Captain” though they had _all_ been prepared to work and wait, at least until their second year to build up a rapport with their teammates and actually _earn_ it in this school and not through outside achievements.

(Endou had seemed especially conflicted, though Aihara-Senpai had stepped aside without fuss nor care. Apparently, since they had both a coach and a fitness instructor, being captain hadn’t meant much. Or at least it hadn’t then.)

They had their favoured positions for the first tournament of their age group for the year, though it had seemed a bit unfair the coach had based the decision on skill and experience, things no one could argue that they had.

All that said, Shuuya thought that they had gotten lucky with their team as all ill will had died by now. The silence and faint air of hostility gone and replaced with a familiar comradeship that he had experienced in Raimon Junior, most of which was probably due to Endou’s stubbornness in getting to know his new teammates and how he had forced their two groups together with a singleminded determination. 

Closer than before and working towards the next tournament, Endou had talked with the coach about implementing some of his - very - well-practiced training methods. And since the coach applied for a short leave of absence when his wife took on complications with her pregnancy, he wouldn’t learn until much later what he had signed everyone up for (the fitness instructor, however was another story). Shuuya had thought his teammates’ expressions on learning their new practice menu had been hilarious.

(Where Endou got all the tires was a mystery.)

Today had just been another commonly long practice. They were all dripping with sweat from exertion and the sun had been just as _much_ of a task master as their captain. Hair was plastered down to skin and their uniforms were so wet it had moulded to their bodies as they tried to keep up with Endou, who was as overzealous as ever, exuberant and spirited even in this weather.

When the whistle finally blew there wasn’t one person that wasn’t out of breath, but Endou was still grinning as he marched them all towards the changing rooms _and_ (thank Kami-sama, because Raimon facilities didn’t extend past the clubhouse and the underground Lightning Training centre,) _Showers._  

The spray that hit them was blessedly lukewarm and helped to settle them, from the further strain the cool down exercises had caused. Feeling notably fresher but still dog tired they had filed back out to get dressed into their uniform. By the time they were finishing up, ready and more than willing to make the trek back home, Endou had just stepped out from the showers, towel wrapped around him haphazardly and low around his hips and trailing water into the changing rooms.

 _One of those days, then._ Shuuya thought as he watched Endou’s glazed eyes and flushed face for a moment, the lack of strength in his form and turned his cheek to look at his teammates. All of whom were watching with varying degrees of worry or exasperation. 

Where their captain got his energy from was an age old question since it was no secret that he trained before he went home and came to school. Endou was known for having the devil’s strength - in some cases quite literally -  but just like in Raimon, their seniors knew enough at this point to understand the large _crashes_ that came with that. 

The fatigue that built up and the particular branch of care that would require.

The shower had probably burnt off his adrenaline and relaxed his muscles, leaving Endou with nothing but exhaustion. The stifling heat probably wasn’t helping.

Kiddo raised an eyebrow, and without words asked: _You today?_ Over their captain’s head who struggled to his locker with the deliberate slowness of someone who was finding it hard to coordinate.

Shuuya just as silently inclined his head. _Yes._ And that was that as he took a seat on the end branch near the door, allowing himself to relax and settle as he placed his sports bag beside him.

‘Endou.’ Kiddo called as the rest of the team collectively breathed out. It was a trialled and tested thing they did for when Endou had pushed it just a little too hard; their way of looking out for their captain who spent all his energy on the team.

It wouldn’t be the first time. No, the first time was just before Raimon Junior’s game against Zeus and it was just by chance that he and Kiddo had walked the same way, that day. Everyone had been worried about Endou at the time, who had been inordinately stressed about his responsibility as both captain and goalkeeper. Thinking about failure, losing, letting his team down he had been working himself into the ground.

He had nearly _worked_ his way into oncoming _traffic_.

Endou had, had a dizzy spell near the main road through town and had suddenly begun to stumble, before tipping from the path. It was only Kiddo’s hawk like eyes that had spotted both Endou’s faint and the honking car, as well as his fast reflexes that - that had - 

Needless to say they hadn’t told the team anything beyond that they needed to keep a better eye on their stubborn captain of theirs. And with what Endou had been like at the time, they had accepted this without word.

So when Endou looked tired or ill _someone_ would make sure the idiot got home, even if they had to stop off at the Steel Tower for an hour or so on the way. Call it paranoid or overprotective, Shuuya cared very little, as he was painfully aware of the damage a moment of lack of concentrate could do.

 _This_ team didn’t know that story either. About the near hit and miss but after last year they had worked it out, some of the seniors ganging together to corner them about their escorting habits and were pretty onboard about it. 

‘Endou?’ Kiddo repeated with a frown when he didn’t get a response straight away.

Endou jolted from where he was fiddling with his locker. ‘Oh, sorry, Kiddo. Something you need?’

‘We were just about to leave.’ Kiddo states with one arm gesturing to their teammates who are crowded behind him, waiting at the door.

Endou blinked before a tired looking grinned stretched his face. ‘Okay.’ He said agreeably, turning away from trying to pull his bag free from where it had gotten stuck. ‘Well, good practice today, Guys -‘

‘And girls.’ Arata-Senpai interrupted with her arms crossed in front of her even as she smiled lightly, crookedly like her face wasn’t quite used to accommodating such an expression. 

Endou nodded. ’And girls.’ He added without thought, more than used to it. ‘Lets keep this momentum up all the way to the finals!’ He exclaims though its obviously lacking energy.

‘Of course.’ Kiddo smirks, stepping backwards towards the door as a couple shift out of his way. ‘…go straight home today, Endou. Its too hot to be throwing yourself at tires. The Steel Tower Plaza will be especially humid with how high up it is.’ 

‘Yeah, I figured.’ Endou laughs awkwardly, a hand going back to rub his neck. ‘Kaasan told me that this morning too.’

Shuuya hid a smile. Knowing Endou’s mother she had done more than “told” him. 

Kiddo nodded, satisfied with his response and went to leave when Endou surprisingly called him back.

‘Hold on!’ Endou said, eyes widened slightly as if he had just remembered something. ’Sorry, I forgot to mention, we’ll be getting our summer uniform tomorrow. Coach sent me an email the other day saying that they had finally fixed the issue they had been having with the company, so you don’t have to bring anything but your bag and spikes tomorrow. And water, don’t forget water.’ 

‘Will do.’ Kiddo replied with something like relief. They had all been impatient to exchange their winter uniforms out with the thicker materials and darker colours to the summer one before anyone suffered heatstroke. 

‘Oh, and Fukase?’ Their senior classmates pauses just before he leaves with the others. ‘Put something on those burns. I’ll bring in suntan lotion tomorrow.’

Fukase looked taken aback for a moment before he glanced at his arms which had turned an inflamed pink from his usual milk white. ‘A-ah…right. Thanks, Captain.’ He smiled gratefully, pleasant surprise over taking his face just as the door closed behind them.

Endou breathed out as soon as the door closed, brow pinching in discomfort as his smile shrunk. ’Now then…’ he muttered, attention turning back to his bag that was still locked between the sides of his locker.

Without word, Shuuya rises from the bench and stops whatever impending battle Endou would have raged and with two simple tugs, manages to free the offending sports bag. ‘Here.’ He hands over the strap, watching as Endou’s arm seems to bend to its weight.

Endou blinks before smiling in embarrassment. ‘Thanks, Gouenji but I could have managed.’ 

Shuuya simply nods. ‘Of course.’ He says. ‘But this way was quicker.’

Shuuya couldn’t really imagine how sore Endou’s arms and back must be feeling from saving all those shots today, it didn’t help that Endou was the only keeper on the team (again) so their forwards really only had one person to practice with. 

Going back to sit - because he was more than a little tired himself and his right leg was feeling stiff - he let Endou dress, watching in the corner of his eye as his captain opened his bag that he had set up on another bench beside him, rustling around until he finally pulled out his underwear which still had his name written in bold marker. 

Endou seemed to sway as he balanced on one leg to step into his boxers, doing a simple shimming move to pull them up under his towel before that was discarded to the floor. 

How long had he known Endou now? Two - nearly three years? It felt so much longer; probably because so much had happened, so much had _changed._ They had both come a long way from who they were when they first met, growing stronger…closer.

But not close enough to warrant Shuuya staring at Endou like this; to be able to watch the water droplets trailer down the toned muscles of his captain’s torso. To look at the alleviated heartbeat hammering in his throat, to gaze at his collarbone. They - they were just friends. Best friends but friends all the same and friends didn’t ogle other friend’s strong hands or bright eyes or cheery smile.

It went against Endou’s privacy. And Shuuya should know better as he, himself hated how a lot of guys would gawk at a girls chest or their behind. It was unwanted attention. _Unwanted._ Tearing his sight away, he tried not to show his outward irritation at himself and focus on calming his breathing from practice. 

‘Its you this time then, Gouenji?’ Endou’s voice cut through the comfortable silence that had settled between them - that always seemed to be able to settle between them - And Shuuya’s head snapped right back to the brunet, gaze meeting deep chocolate eyes from where they had strayed to the lockers.

It seemed like an offhanded question as Endou’s concentration was definitely in trying to get both legs into his trousers, but the words repeated while Shuuya tried not to be distracted by his sudden awareness of how much _skin_ was on show. 

’You’re keeping an eye over me, aren’t you?’ That - that wasn’t a question however much it was said as one as Endou had finally done up his trousers and was now trying to pull his shirt over his head. All the while Shuuya _tried_ not to notice the way Endou’s shoulders flexed or how his supple back stretched. 

 _Concentrate,_ Shuuya told himself in annoyance. ‘An eye on you?’ He repeated.

Endou hummed as his head finally broke through the neck of his shirt with a relieved huff of air. ‘Yeah, on days like this there’s always someone waiting for me to finish up.’ 

Shuuya couldn’t even be surprised that Endou had noticed. Though a lot of people had looked down on Endou’s intelligence, he could be quite observant in his own way especially in regards to his friends.

’They just don’t want “soccer obsessed” to be marked as your reason of death.’ Shuuya mused as Endou was fishing his belt out of his bag only not a second later for the brunet to completely freeze.

Shuuya’s gut twisted in realisation, his head catching up with his mouth. Oh - oh _dammit._ Endou Daisuke was thankfully alive and _very_ much kicking but some wounds just didn’t heal. Their promises through soccer was one thing however Endou was still just a bit…sensitive over it, not that Shuuya blamed him. Their relationship would never be the same - or what it could have been, and the time they had lost would never be gotten back.

Of all the thoughtless -

Endou’s forced laughter cut through Shuuya. ‘Kaasan would kill me first.’ He jibed almost tonelessly, seemingly trying to add inflection but unable to as he went back to stringing his belt through the loops in his trousers.

A hundred things Shuuya wanted to say popped to mind but he shoved them all down. ‘How long have you known?’ He asked instead while his hands fisted in his lap. 

Endou shrugged as he flopped down on the bench, his bag and about three feet between them as he bent over to put his socks on his feet though he seemed to do it begrudgingly, probably feeling too warm to want to over his toes which already looked red. ‘Awhile, I guess…’ He sighed. ‘I thought that after that one time - when you and Kiddo were walking with me, and the car…I thought I had managed to scare you because we started to walk home together for a few weeks after that.’

 _Scare_ might have been a bit of an understatement. Shuuya had, had flashbacks of Yuuka for months afterwards only this time it was _worse,_ because now that nightmare overlapped with all that _could_ have happened with Endou if Kiddo hadn’t been so fast. 

And while he couldn’t speak for Kiddo, Shuuya still vividly remembered the playmaker’s face after he had pulled Endou away from the car that zoomed past. His eyes hadn’t been needed to be able to see the stark shocked, _terror_ with Endou weakly leaning against his chest - where he had ended up, from Kiddo’s violent pull - confused as to how he had gotten there to start with before he had tensed as realisation hit as hard as the vehicle could have.  

‘That stopped after awhile and I was sort of…glad because I figured that the two of you had…relaxed, I guess?’ Endou frowned, as if unsure of the word he wanted. ‘But then every now and then, on days like today, someone will wait behind and walk with me so…’

‘Well, goalkeeper captains like you are hard to find, Endou.’ Shuuya tried to jest though it felt like a weak attempt with the mention of the incident. ‘…does it bother you?’ 

They didn’t always need words but clarification would probably be best.

Endou shook his head. ‘Its not like I don’t appreciate it.’ He continued as he was tying up the laces on his shoes. ‘The company’s nice…its just…weird.’

For Endou whose very _name_ was “protect” it must have felt like that after spending so much time alone with so much responsibility; so much to do and so many to look after.

‘You’re not used to it.’ Shuuya concluded. 

‘I guess.’ Endou acknowledged while he shoved his uniform and spikes into his bag without much care, because he knew he wouldn’t be wearing it again. The discarded orange headband that had been stripped off as soon as they had gotten into the changing rooms (probably out of desperation), was the last thing to be picked up and was barely glanced at before Endou had pulled it over his head so that it was resting around his neck.

 _His hairs grown,_ Shuuya thinks. Endou’s dark chestnut hair used to lay pretty flat besides the front bangs which was pushed up by the hairband, however it was starting to get spiker, more layered and the more it grew, the more Shuuya wanted to _touch._

Endou stood from the bench with a muffled noise of discomfort, and seemed almost ready to leave as he smiled down at Shuuya. ‘Thanks for waiting.’ He said warmly, smile fatigued but so fond Shuuya’s heart hurt. 

Shuuya returned the gesture. ‘Someone’s got to.’ 

Shuuya _wanted._ He didn’t know when he had first started to get chest palpitations when Endou - as the tactile guy he is - would throw his arm around Shuuya’s shoulders. Hadn’t really noticed when his face would heat after a compliment or two.  

Kidou had most likely understood Shuuya’s feeling before _he_ had. And despite the playmaker repeatedly telling him he should just _tell_ Endou; that their captain wouldn’t be bothered by it, wasn’t the type of person to look at him any differently, Shuuya still couldn’t bring himself to say anything. 

Shuuya had lucked out with his teammates - he knew that - but they still didn’t compare to Endou, who was so different to everyone else that Shuuya felt that he would lose more than just a friend if he messed this up. _Everything_ would change without Endou there and he…he was scared.

No amount of conversations so coded that even Shuuya struggled to understand would help, even if Kidou was making a world of sense. 

Kidou…

Kidou always…always made sense.

And Endou…Shuuya had been watching his captain for so long. And now, with Endou’s hair falling around his face, eyes as large and bright as the day they met, Shuuya felt something in his chest snap with waiting and longing and wanting and - and _pining_ without being able to touch.

To touch…

Shuuya barely noticed when Endou blinked as if just remembering something, all he saw was Endou turning away and his stomach lurched. Without conscious thought, his legs got up and carried him to where Endou was closing his locker, his mouth impossibly dry and dizzy with the heat as he approached his captain.

In a flurry of confused movement, Endou had turned again with a puzzled frown on his brow and a question on his mouth, when Shuuya leaned in; driven by this heady feeling that had been building since Kami-sama knows how long.

Lips slid together, moist from the extended shower and for a split moment Shuuya was _flying,_ his stomach weightless and floating as his mind’s only focus became this one second of skin-on-skin, of him and Endou.

But then something penetrated the thick fog of Shuuya’s thoughts. Endou wasn’t moving, Endou’s expression was frozen and shocked and oh - oh that wasn’t - 

Shuuya’s pause seemed to have woken Endou up too, because he was a melting icicle for one blink and putting the strength of God Hand to push Shuuya away and _run,_ the next. Run right out the door, bag forgotten and locker still with a padlock.

Shuuya was rammed into the ball bag on the opposite side of the room and tumbled as he lost his balance and was then thrown to the floor, onto his knees were panic quickly pierced though his summer daze, heart hammering - _breaking_ and something wet that had to be sweat rolling down his cheeks.

Staring at the smiling door which was mockingly swinging wide from the force Endou had opened it, Shuuya couldn’t bring himself to get up and instead he tried to take shuddering breaths. Wondering quietly to himself as the warmth in him starts to freeze, and his chest clenches like he’s just taken a soccer ball to the chest, what the hell had he been - _what was he going to do?_


End file.
